DA received gift from Mexican tycoon, who is now charged in foreign money probe

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis received a food basket valued at $150 from the Mexican tycoon Jose Susumo Azano Matsura, several months after he supported her unsuccessful 2012 mayoral bid, according to her most recent gift disclosure.

The basket, described as a holiday gift by Dumanis spokesman Steve Walker on Tuesday, was received on Dec. 17, 2012.

Azano now stands accused in a plot to inject $600,000 of his money into San Diego political races, illegal for a foreign national. More than $200,000 of that money benefited the Dumanis mayoral campaign.

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In the days after the scandal broke late last month, Dumanis said she had met with Azano once early in her 2012 campaign but could not remember many details of the meeting, a catered luncheon at Azano’s Coronado home, including the date.

“I do remember the purpose was to get to know him,” Dumanis told U-T San Diego in late January. “He spoke mostly and he told me what he was and he likes to do."

Asked whether Dumanis plans to refund Azano for the gift basket — as she did with certain campaign funds from his family and associates — Walker replied, “The District Attorney gave that particular holiday food basket away to staff.”

Asked why the lunch was not reported as an additional gift received by Dumanis from Azano, Walker replied, “The DA reports any gifts in excess of $50, as required by law.”